OUT OF LEFT FIELD

The death of Reaganism

(CNN) — Thirty-two years ago, President Ronald Reagan launched an era of anti-government politics with his first inaugural address. On Monday, President Barack Obama offered the best rebuttal to date.

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer said the speech marked “the end of Reaganism,” and I couldn’t agree more.

Like Reagan, the president sought to ground the national conversation in his own definition of patriotism. But instead of the “liberty-only” patriotism of Reagan and political descendants such as Paul Ryan, who would turn love of country into hate for its government and its people, Obama offered a deeper “liberty and justice for all” patriotism.